#23 What intentional branding actually looks like

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​Every piece of your branding is definitely important (from the logo to your website, to the photos you feature).

So … how do you make sure that you don’t get too caught up in how “nice-looking” your colour-scheme is, and focus on branding your business in an intentional way?

​More importantly, why is that so important? In this episode, I spoke with Robyn Young, a branding specialist who answered both those questions.

Show Notes

What this episode covers
​

• What Robyn’s company focuses on
• Why Robyn transitioned out of the corporate grind, and how getting pregnant impacted things overall.
• How Robyn saw the pregnancy as a sign from the universe that this is all converging because it’s meant to.
• The challenges Robyn had with starting a business and being pregnant, and how she saw them as similar to starting a business as well.
• The biggest coincidence: the fact that Robyn booked her first client after she gave birth, and how it was like having two babies to take care of.
• How creating her own business largely informed her work and helped her help her clients.
• Why Robyn and I both agree that the hardest part is just getting started, and recommendations for tackling that.
• Robyn: “really it’s about becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable”, and what that means to Robyn.
• Why the challenges don’t stop when you’ve overcome the challenges of starting.
• How co-working was a huge help in the beginning, and why she believes finding something valuable in it is about being open to it.
• What changed Robyn’s mind about co-working, from “perhaps this is too expensive, to maybe this is a good idea.”
• How Robyn negotiated free space, in exchange for helping a new co-working space attract new members.
• When Robyn transitioned to a paid membership, and why she made that transition.
• The problem with the fact that we don’t see other peoples’ modest beginnings, and what Robyn recommends doing about it.
• The most important part of intentional branding: “your brand is not your logo”, which is actually about communication, and why a lot of it is about brand reputation.
• How a lot of it is about how it links to everything you put out there, and everything you do.
• Some examples of brands that Robyn thinks are great examples of this: Everlane, Casper, Dollar Shave Club. And what they are doing well.
• Why…no matter what you’re selling, you’re selling a lifestyle and an experience, and why that’s so essential.
• Why it’s also about convincing the customer that this brand adds value to them.
• The biggest mistake newer entrepreneurs that Robyn works with: “staying in a lane”, and what that means if that fear sounds too familiar.
• Why the identity of your brand comes first, and if you don’t have that you should just forget about the business.
• Why being different is also about providing value, not just being different from the competition.
• The most essential components of branding: and what to do if they seem overwhelming. FYI: I recommend my article: “How defining my value statement changed my business” if you’re not sure how to do all this.
• The first thing Robyn does when dealing with someone who isn’t used to the strategy elements: “what is it you’re passionate about,” and how she uses that to help them position their brand accordingly.
• How personal branding isn’t far off from corporate branding.
• A recommended resource that will help you get started: the complementary brand planning worksheet available on Robyn’s website.
• Why it’s about aligning what you’re passionate about with something that offers value to your audience, and how to find the right balance for that.
• Why…if you absolutely have to work with either a brand strategist or a graphic designer, it’s best to choose a brand strategist.
• A great example of this: some brands that have had a very basic logo and no online presence whatsoever, and why this is proof approaching things in a strategic way is the most important.
• Why this is the most effective with service-based businesses, rather than product-based businesses.
• Low-budget design options for small businesses (E.G: logo design on Squarespace, Canva). By the way, I also have some helpful resources on this. Check out both my blog’s resource page and my article on image tools for additional suggestions.
• Why it’s not about “I can’t afford this, so I won’t do this,” and how to work around it instead.
• The bootstrapping your brand course Robyn is working on. If it sounds interesting to you, feel free to sign up for notifications about it on her branding worksheet page.
• The very important thing to keep in mind: your brand is never done, and how much rebranding is normal.
• The most common misconceptions about a vision statement, and what a vision statement actually is.
• What makes a vision statement “good”.
• Why the most important thing to not leave out is clarity about what you do, who you do this for, and what is the whitespace you’re filling.
• Why affordability can be a dangerous thing to put as your central focus.
• Robyn’s most important advice about hiring brand strategists: “not all are created equal,” and what that entails.
• What branding studios are often leaving out of their work with their clients.
• What’s wrong with the mindset: “you should know all this about your business, we’re not going to tell you.”
• Why the synergy/ consistency of all the different bits of your brand align are the most important part in most cases, and why this is something you need to make sure your branding strategist focuses on.
• Why clarity about your message becomes before everything else.
• The most important thing to remember: “a brand without a plan is just a design,” and the importance of spending time on your brand identity, before you focus on the look of your brand.
• What Robyn is working on for 2019.

 
About this week's guest
 
Robyn Young is a brand cultivator, strategy enthusiast, entrepreneur, and CEO of Robyn Young & Co. Her main focus is connecting smart, thoughtful strategy and intentional design. With a professional pedigree that includes market research for top commercial brands like Nike and Target, as well as branded content for UCLA, Modern Luxury and Everyday Health, Robyn has a vast understanding of what sticks and how to pull an authentic story to the surface. Now as the founder of her own branding agency, she pours passion into everything she touches - brainstorming unique brand strategies, overseeing the creative process, teaching branding workshops, and offering inspiration (and the occasional pep talk) for other Startup founders.
 
Where you can find Robyn online
 
Get a copy of her brand planning worksheet: https://www.robynyoung.co/brandworksheet/
Sign up for her brand strategy email course: https://www.robynyoung.co/email-course
Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robynyoung.co/
Check out Robyn’s website: http://robynyoung.co
 
How you can follow this podcast (and learn more about its host)
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